Solomon Chamberlain - Miraculous Long Life to Witness Restoration and Build Zion

Solomon Chamberlain lived to be 74 years old (1788-1862), witnessing every major phase of the Restoration. He recorded his extensive experiences with the early Church: 'in the fall of 1831, emigrated to Jackson County, Missouri, and in the beginning of the winter of 1833, was broken up by mobs, and driven out of the county and suffered the loss of all things... Settled again in Clay County and was there broke up and suffered the loss of 3 houses and my plantation... Again settled in Caldwell County and was broke up and also in Daviess County, and was driven out of the counties in the coldest part of the winter.' Despite these tremendous trials, persecutions, and having 'my life threatened' many times, the Lord sustained him through all the Missouri conflicts, through Nauvoo, and to the Utah Territory where he spent his final years. His long life allowed him to be a bridge witness of the entire arc of the Restoration from Joseph Smith's time forward.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

About this time the Lord showed me in a vision, that there were no people on the earth that were right, and that faith was gone from the earth, excepting a few and that all churches were corrupt. I further saw in vision, that he would soon raise up a church, that would be after the Apostolic Order, that there would be in it the same powers, and gifts that were in the days of Christ, and that I should live to see the day, and that there would a book come forth, like unto the Bible and the people would be guided by it, as well as the Bible. This was in the year of 1816. I then believed in gifts and miracles as the Latter-day Saints do, for which I was much persecuted and called deluded. This vision I received from an angel or spirit from the eternal world that told me these things.